Campaign statement of Marina Brown, Liberty Union candidate for Vermont Auditor of Accounts.
Aug. 28, 2018
Contact:Marina Brown
catskillmarina@gmail.com
Campaign Statement of Marina Brown, Liberty Union Candidate for Vermont Auditor of Accounts.
The office of auditor should be non-partisan. The office of the auditor performs 3 types of audits. They “Performance audits, the State’s financial statement audit (CAFR) and the State’s single audit (which looks at the usage of federal funds by the state)”. I would also like to add a transparency audit that would focus on shining a light on Vermont , a state with very poor transparency. I would like to create a digital governance initiative so that there will be standardized portals into the day to day business of the State. My guiding principles, will be transparency for the State and privacy for the individual.
* Privacy for Individuals and transparency for Government.
Transparency of all publically funded agencies, including hospitals, nursing homes, and schools. Physical and electronic information should be available to the public. All records, including executive salaries, rates of nosocomial infection, and even graduation and dropout rates for these institutions should be available. As long as the records are not personal, they should be available to the public. The State should enforce such transparency.
* Removing most of the exceptions listed in the public records law.
The public should know what software is being used to store private information; primarily because they should know the level of security being provided for information. I will push for the use of open source software, wherever possible. Since its inception, open source software has been subject to review from developers all over the world. Security issues are fixed in a timely manner. Where the State make modifications, we should contribute back to the projects, in order to strengthen the contributions back to the open-source ecosystem.
* Using technology in the service of transparency.
Using software that enables anonymity to ensure the safety of whistleblowers is of the utmost importance. Software like “securedrop” or “globaleaks” will help people feel more secure about reporting corruption, waste, and other serious governmental issues.
* A digital governance initiative that will allow easy access to public information.
A website that is a central place to easily find information is crucial to the transparency of our government. I will aggressively defend the privacy of of individuals, including people who would like to opt out of electronic medical record databases.
* Reducing risks of privacy breaches
The electronic health care record system is a privacy risk, and potentially compromises the doctor-patient relationship. Both patients and doctors should have the right to opt-out of the electronic record system.
* Transparency of Government Finance.
The State should reveal all funding, services and equipment received from the Federal government, foreign governments and private individuals or corporations.
* Any and all civil forfeiture must be subject to public records requests.
I am confident that I can make this happen for the State of Vermont. A State that respects both the need for the transparency of our government, and the privacy of personal information.
Marina Brown,
Candidate for Vermont Auditor of Accounts.